The patient had arrived at Flagstaff Medical Center and died in the emergency room. It is the first known plague-related death in Coconino County since 2007.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — A patient who died at a Flagstaff hospital was diagnosed with the bacteria that causes the plague, marking the first known plague-related death in Coconino County since 2007.
Northern Arizona Healthcare released a statement this week indicating that one of their patients had a presumptive diagnosis of Yersinia pestis, the bacteria infamously known for killing millions of people in Europe many centuries ago.
The patient had arrived at Flagstaff Medical Center and died in the emergency room. NAH is working with the public health department in addressing the case.
“NAH would like to remind anyone who suspects they are ill with a contagious disease to contact their health care provider. If their illness is severe, they should go to the Emergency Department and immediately ask for a mask to help prevent the spread of disease while they access timely and important care,” a spokesperson for Northern Arizona Healthcare wrote in a statement.
Coconino County officials said lab results received on July 11 confirmed that the patient died of pneumonic plague. The death is apparently not related to the recent prairie dog die-off reported northeast of Flagstaff earlier this week.
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the deceased,” Coconino County Board of Supervisors Chair Patrice Horstman said in a statement. “We are keeping them in our thoughts during this difficult time. Out of respect for the family, no additional information about the death will be released.”
Humans typically become infected with the plague if they’re bitten by an infected rodent flea or if they interact with an infected animal, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Antibiotics can cure a patient of plague if administered promptly to prevent the illness from worsening, according to the CDC.
Common plague symptoms include fever, headache, chills and fatigue.
Public health officials recommend avoiding contact with wild animals and staying away from areas where rodents live. Residents are also encouraged to deter rodent infestations by removing debris and trash from their property.
Coconino County officials said the risk of transmitting the plague between humans is very low and the last known human-to-human transmission occurred in 1924.
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